A Thoroughly Entertaining Ride on the “Carousel”

The Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production of “Carousel,” which ran from March 12 to 13 in the Oberon, was an immersive theater experience that immediately pulled the audience into the world of Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan—a world of carnival games that effortlessly caught the eye with its flurries of bright colors, lights, candies, and bar drinks served before the play even started by the very same cast members that would grace the stage later that evening. This pre-show interlude was completed by similarly enchanting music by an impressive band led by Andrew R. Chow ’14, an active Crimson editor.

Such a scene set the stage for “Carousel,” the story of the tumultuous romance between carousel barker Billy Bigelow (Jacob A. Brandt ’14) and millworker Julie Jordan (Elizabeth K. Leimkuhler ’15)—a romance that lasts through thick and thin despite the character flaws of both parties involved. With solid technical elements and an excellent cast that sometimes struggled to create a sense of unity amongst themselves, the production, directed by Susanna B. Wolk ’14, successfully navigated the musical’s light surface and dark undertones.

These undertones were conveyed through effective usage of props, set design, and lighting.The lighting aptly conveyed night and day, spotlighting dramatic moments like Julie’s pregnancy announcement and Billy’s entry to heaven. Wolk even cleverly used the Oberon bar to create a picturesque tableau that displayed the cast as some sat on bar seats and others on the actual table in “Blow High, Blow Low,” showcasing the actors together in an innovative way. Moreover, stylistic choices like the masked ensemble members and props such as the hordes of jeering cardboard eyes in Louisa’s (Maya M. Park ’16)—Billy and Julie’s daughter—debut scene were effective in reinforcing her feelings of being an outcast since birth.

Each of the show’s leads carried out well-executed performances, particularly Leimkuhler and Brandt. Leimkuhler’s classically strong and elegant singing style gave her role a distinctive character that was highly reminiscent of Jan Clayton in the original Broadway cast. Similarly, Brandt’s powerful mixed register coupled with his fantastic resonance made for a great musical performance. Both actors’ vocals worked especially well together in “If I Loved You,” their central duet, creating a musical rapport that was effective in conveying the sentimentality of the song.

On the whole, each of the actors performed extremely well individually from the standpoints of both music and character development. In “You’re a Queer One, Julie Jordan,” Kyra A. Atekwana ’14 showcased her fabulous tone and powerful upper register as Carrie Pipperidge. Kyle R. Whelihan’s ’17 phenomenal range and charmingly innocent portrayal of Enoch Snow were a joy to experience as he dramatically entered behind the audience to make his debut in “When I Marry Mister Snow.” In the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” the mood is particularly heartbreaking as Leimkuhler’s character immediately breaks down just after whispering to Brandt “I love you.” It was one of the most powerfully delivered lines of the entire production.

Park, however, particularly stood out in the cast. Her skills as a dancer complemented the role in the best possible ways. While her character was given a relatively small amount of time onstage, Park certainly left an impression with graceful movements that flawlessly matched the youthful, spritely tone of the music in the miniature ballet at the beginning of the second act.

Given all of this, the chemistry between the actors was lacking in parts. Atekwana and Whelihan’s onstage relationship, while at times sweet and heartwarming, was contrived and artificial in other crucial scenes. When Carrie’s supposed infidelity is made apparent, Whelihan’s anger fell flat and lacked the nuance of a genuinely upset, betrayed spouse. Similarly, Atekwana’s reaction to the advances of Jigger (Brad A. Latilla-Campbell ’16) seemed less than truly distraught and defensive. Moreover, at times, leads Brandt and Leimkuhler suffered from strained chemistry most notably during Brandt’s death scene. The musicality of the two actors, though, made up for these drawbacks.

With an extremely strong cast—at least as individuals—and an effective use of set, props, and lighting, Wolk’s production has proven to be a ride on a carousel that will be thoroughly remembered.